Bat signal gif keaton4/22/2024 The Batman rules Bruce's life not because he wills it, but because he's compelled by an unspoken oath. But deep down, Bruce Wayne doesn't want to be Batman, he has to be. It's easy to see Batman as this dark and tragic hero who has no time for love and romance, with no desire to leave the life he's built in Gotham's shadows. If you're looking for a single moment to perfectly define Keaton's tenure as the Dark Knight, look no further than the climax of Batman Returns. Hoping beyond hope that Selina may take a step back and run away with him–away from this vigilante life, and away even from Batman–Bruce plays the only card he has left: his heart. Bruce may believe himself to be Batman deep down, but even deeper in his psyche there's another Bruce Wayne who has been so scarred and traumatized that he's hidden behind the symbol of his own childhood fears. Additionally, he shows us that, although Bruce sees Batman as his true self, the scared young boy who watched his parent's murder all those years ago was hiding behind the cowl all along. He even changes the cadence of his voice, shifting from his Batman vocals to his usual speaking voice to soften the blow. Michael Keaton is so perfect here as Batman that it's hard to compare his performance to other live-action Batman actors. Burton's first Bat-picture establishes this well, and Returns highlights this throughout, ultimately culminating at this moment when Bruce removes his true mask, revealing himself in an unprecedented way to Selina, pleading with her to come home with him. He's nothing more than a mask so that Bruce-as-Batman can commit himself entirely to fighting crime and ridding Gotham City of its murderous underbelly. The billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne is, in many ways, Batman's simple-but-clever disguise. It's who he is, the truest representation of himself. If anything, some may see this as a simple Hollywood trick in order to give Keaton a bit more face time on-screen.įor Bruce Wayne, Batman is his true identity. Disappearing eye shadow aside, there's nothing particularly noteworthy about Michael Keaton ripping off the plastic bat ears for a more meaningful close-up. Batman removes his cowl all the time, especially in the Batcave or with those he loves and trusts. On the surface, this may not seem like a big deal. On its own, this moment is powerful, but what makes it one of Keaton's best is that Batman removes his cowl in the process. But not every Batman/Catwoman romance can end as happily as it does in The Dark Knight Rises. Rather than wallow in their misery and pain, he suggests that they leave it all behind and fly away together. Stepping closer to her, the Bat tells the Cat that they aren't so different, that, in many ways, they're the same. He, too, knew vengeance once, and after taking the life of his parent's own killer (albeit somewhat inadvertently), he has never known peace. Instead of appealing to her better nature, instead of minimizing her pain, he explains that he too understands. After discovering each other's identities, Catwoman continues her revenge quest against her former employer Max Shreck ( Christopher Walken), while Batman focuses his energy on saving Gotham from Penguin's dastardly plot.īut after defeating his rival and catching up with his tortured love interest, Batman pleads with Catwoman for her to stop. From the moment Bruce encounters the reborn Selina, sparks fly, foreshadowing the literal sparks that highlight the climax. Ignoring Vicki Vale ( Kate Basinger) after the first film, Bruce Wayne falls for the electric Selina Kyle this time around. While Burton's highly stylized sequel is thrilling, and features action sequences that are a clear step up from the original, it's the heart behind the Caped Crusader that shines brightest here. And yet, Batman Returns features one of the greatest Batman moments ever put to film, especially considering Keaton's incarnation of the character. 1992's Batman Returns wasn't the most well-received Batman movie of its time (though it wouldn't be the worst going forward), and was criticized by many for its increasingly dark and sexualized tone. With the Joker out of the way, Burton opted to tackle both Penguin ( Danny DeVito) and Catwoman ( Michelle Pfeiffer) for the sequel. By the film's climax, it was revealed that a young Jack Napier was the one responsible for killing Bruce Wayne's parents in Crime Alley all those years ago, making this version of the Joker Batman's most personal nemesis. A truly underrated take on the character, the '89 Joker is accidentally created by Batman after the Caped Crusader knocks Jack Napier into a vat of toxic chemicals, transforming him into the homicidal, perma-white clown. In Batman, the very first "supervillain" that Keaton's Batman encounters is Jack Nicholson's Joker.
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